500 Foreign Words and Phrases You Should Know to Sound Smart (8 page)

Your curfew is 10
P.M.
, and I don’t care how late you want to stay out with your friends. DURA LEX SED LEX!

“Parents should conduct their arguments in quiet, respectful tones, but in a foreign language. You’d be surprised what an inducement that is to the education of children.”

—Judith Martin

E

Ecce homo
(Latin) (EK-ay HO-mo) (interjection)

According to Christian doctrine, this is what Pontius Pilate said when Jesus of Nazareth was brought before him for judgment. The original of the quotation is from the King James Bible, a translation of the Greek Septuagint. At various points it has been the title of paintings illustrating the life and passion of Christ.

ego te absolvo
(Latin) (ay-go tay ab-SOLV-oh) (phrase)

I absolve you. Part of the Sacrament of Penance in the Catholic Church:
Deinde, ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomina Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti
. (Thus I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.) Performance of this sacrament removed the possibility of Hell if the sinner is truly repentant.

élan
(French) (AY-lahn) (noun)

Ardor or enthusiasm.

She showed great energy and ÉLAN on the ski slope, outdistancing her compatriots by a wide margin
.

embonpoint
(French) (em-bon-PWAHNT) (noun)

Stoutness; a tendency toward plumpness or roundness. Chubby.

He displayed the EMBONPOINT characteristic of those accustomed to linger over their meals for three or four hours
.

emeritus
(Latin) (ay-MARE-i-tus) (adj.)

Designating someone who has retired at a particular rank. It is particularly applied to figures in the military, the Church, or academia.

Professor Smith, upon his retirement, assumed the position of Professor EMERITUS of American History, in which capacity he taught one class every semester—the same number of classes he had taught before stepping down
.

éminence grise
(French) (Eh-may-nonss GREEZ) (noun)

Literally, “a gray eminence.” A respected elder figure who is an expert in a particular field.

Dr. Henry Kissinger is an ÉMINENCE GRISE of American diplomacy, despite being considered a war criminal in a number of countries around the world
.

en famille
(French) (AHN fah-MEE) (adj.)

In the bosom of your family; surrounded by family members.

I intend to spend this holiday season EN FAMILLE, which should have both positive and negative aspects. If we survive it, I’m sure we’ll all have a merry Christmas
.

enfant terrible
(French) (AHN-fahnt tare-EE-bl) (noun)

Literally, “terrible infant.” Colloquially, a preternaturally precocious or gifted child or one who in some other way presents a unique challenge to his parents and caregivers. It has also come to mean anyone young who shows signs of rebellion.

Elected to the Senate at the age of thirty-five, Senator Jones quickly became the ENFANT TERRIBLE of Capitol Hill, proposing more than two dozen bills in his first two years in office
.

en garde
(French) (ahn GAHRD) (interjection)

On guard! A warning at the beginning of a fencing match that signals the start of the match. More generally, a warning that a conflict is about to begin.

You have challenged me to a dominoes tournament. Be aware that I have been the Passaic, New Jersey, dominoes champion for three years running. EN GARDE!

en masse
(French) (ahn-MASS) (adv.)

In its entirety. As a group. Referring to an action taken by a large group of people.

The drama critics descended EN MASSE upon
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
and, quite rightfully, tore it to shreds
.

ennui
(French) (ahn-WE) (noun)

Boredom. Tedium.

The pages of the
London Review of Books
post-1973 elicit from one an ineluctable ENNUI, from which it is almost impossible to recover
.

en passant
(French) (ahn pass-AHNT) (adv.)

Literally, “in passing.” A move in chess in which a pawn moves forward two spaces and an opposing pawn captures it on the next move as if it had moved only one space. The term arises from the fact that the first pawn is prevented from simply passing the opposing pawn without the possibility of capture.

Nota Bene

Among the earliest chess experts was the Spanish player Ruy López (1530–1580). One of the most popular openings in chess is named for him because it was included in his book
Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del juego del axedrez
. In fact, this is the first chess opening to be recorded, and thus, one of the most systematically studied.

en plein air
(French) (ahn PLEHN air) (adj.)

In the open air. Particularly referring to the practice of painting outside. This was particularly practiced in the nineteenth century, both in Europe and in America. In the United States, a school sprang up based on painting in the open air located in the Hamptons in Long Island, New York. French impressionists were strongly influenced by plein air painting techniques as well.

Many of Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, such as his depictions of the countryside of Arles, were painted EN PLEIN AIR
.

en rapport
(French) (ahn rah-PORR) (adv.)

In sympathy; in accordance with.

My boyfriend and I discovered we were both EN RAPPORT in regard to both politics and
Arrested Development.

entente cordiale
(French) (ah-TANT cor-dyAHL) (noun)

A favorable alliance; a happy relationship between two countries or states—or, occasionally, people. Specifically, this refers to a series of agreements signed between Britain and France prior to the First World War. Although the two countries had been at almost continuous war since the beginning of the Middle Ages, they managed to bury their differences long enough to agree that they hated Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire more than each other. This pleasant situation endured until approximately ten minutes after peace was declared in 1918.

Although Jennifer and I have fought over everything, from the wedding china to the division of pets in the divorce, we did manage, at last, to achieve an ENTENTE CORDIALE on the subject of her mother
.

entre nous
(French) (AHN-treh NOO) (adv.)

Between us; between ourselves.

ENTRE NOUS, I can’t imagine that this new reconciliation between George and Jennifer is going to last. But you know them better than I
.

Epistula non erubescit
(Latin) (ay-PISS-too-lah non air-OOB-eh-SKIT) (quotation)

“A letter doesn’t blush.”

—Cicero (106
B.C.
–43
B.C.
)

e pluribus unum
(Latin) (AY PLOO-ree-bus OO-num) (motto)

From many, one. The motto found on the Great Seal of the United States, as well as on its currency. In 1956 Congress made the official motto of the country “In God we trust”; until that time
e pluribus unum
had been considered the country’s unofficial motto.

ergo
(Latin) (AIR-go) (conj.)

Therefore.

I am a brilliant thinker, ERGO no one understands me. Isn’t it always the way?

Errare humanum est
(Latin) (air-ARE-ay hoo-MAHN-oom est) (phrase)

To err is human. Originally from St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Often quoted as “To err is human, to forgive, divine.”

Before you accuse me of having an extramarital affair, I think you should remember that ERRARE HUMANUM EST
.

ersatz
(German) (air-SATZ) (adj.)

Substitute; replacement. Typically used of something inferior; it was particularly applied during the Second World War to replacements for staples that were in short supply.

During the war, we had to make do with ERSATZ coffee brewed from chicory or other, less palatable alternatives
.

esprit de corps
(French) (ehs-PREE de COR) (noun)

Team spirit; camaraderie.

The fact that our football team lost sixty-four games in a row gave us, oddly, a certain ESPRIT DE CORPS. We were united by our inferiority
.

et alii
(Latin) (et AL-ee-ee) (noun)

And others. Normally abbreviated “et al.”

This book was written by Robert D. Smith, Elaine Smith, ET ALII
.

et cetera
(Latin) (et SET-er-ah) (adv.)

And the rest; and so on. Normally abbreviated etc.

The room is filled with poets, writers, artists, ET CETERA
.

Et in Arcadia ego
(Latin) (et in ar-KAH-dee-ah AY-go) (phrase)

And I, too, have lived in Arcadia.More generally, I too, have enjoyed the pleasures of this world (implying that I do so no longer). Arcadia was an area of the Greek Peloponnesus that was inhabited primarily by shepherds; thus the term “Arcadia” came, in Classical literature, to refer to a pastoral life. This sort of life was regarded as ideal by many Classical authors, something to be aspired to.

Although I’m now an elder and highly respected member of the Conservative community, ET IN ARCADIA EGO. When I was young, I attended rock concerts by cutting-edge bands like Abba
.

Nota Bene

The Roman poet Virgil (70
B.C.
–19
B.C.
) in his
Eclogues
espoused the joys of the pastoral life. Many centuries later, the French painter Nicholas Poussin (1594–1665) used the expression “Et in Arcadia ego” as the title of a painting depicting Greek shepherds gathered around an ancient tomb bearing this inscription. The phrase also appears in a somewhat different context as the title of the first part of Evelyn Waugh’s (1903–1966) novel,
Brideshead Revisited
.

Et tu, Brute?
(Latin) (et TOO broo-TAY) (phrase)

Even you, Brutus? The words supposedly spoken by Julius Caesar (100
B.C.
–44
B.C.
) upon his assassination on March 15, 44
B.C.
Among those taking part in his murder was his former friend Marcus Junius Brutus (85
B.C.
–42
B.C.
), and Caesar, in his dying breath, reproved him for his betrayal. (The legend of this reproach is probably apocryphal.) Thus, this exclamation has come to be applied to any act of treachery, particularly one committed by a close friend.

Someone told me that even though you and I spent all last year hanging out together, at a party the other night you were making fun of me. ET TU, BRUTE?

eureka
(Greek) (you-REE-kah) (interjection)

I have found it. According to legend, this was the word shouted by the great Greek inventor and mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse (287
B.C.
–212
B.C.
) when, while sitting in his bath, he conceived of the principle of displacement. According to some accounts, he ran naked down the street, shouting to his neighbors, who, quite possibly, were used to that sort of thing from him.

EUREKA! I’ve finally discovered the proportions needed to mix the perfect gin and tonic
.

ex animo
(Latin) (eks AN-i-mo) (adv.)

From the heart; from the soul. Thus, sincerely.

Please believe me that my declaration of everlasting love and devotion is EX ANIMO
.

ex cathedra
(Latin) (eks kah-THAY-drah) (adv.)

From a seat of authority. Applied particularly to the Catholic Church, to those pronouncements that come from the pope concerning matters of doctrine. In these matters, since 1870 the pope has been deemed infallible.

The Catholic Church has reaffirmed its opposition to abortion and many forms of birth control in a series of EX CATHEDRA statements
.

excelsior
(Latin) (eks-SELL-see-or) (adv.)

Literally, “higher.” Its most famous use is in a (bad) poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which begins

The shades of night were falling fast
,

As through an Alpine village passed

A youth, who bore mid snow and ice
,

A banner with the strange device
,

Excelsior!

And so on. You get the general idea.

excusez-moi
(French) (eks-SKOOZ-ay MWAH) (interjection)

Excuse me.

EXCUSEZ-MOI. I didn’t mean to bump your arm back there and make you drop that entire tray of crystal wine glasses
.

exempli gratia
(Latin) (eks-EMP-lee GRAH-tee-ah) (prepositional phrase)

For the sake of example; for instance.

In discussing the awful state of American culture today, let’s consider, EXEMPLI GRATIA, the unwarranted attention paid to Kim Kardashian’s seventy-two
-
day “marriage.”

ex gratia
(Latin) (eks GRAH-tee-ah) (adv.)